High School: Graduation Requirements

There are two options for students to earn their high school diploma, ACCEL (18-credits) or Standard (24-credits). For both options, students must meet certain credit, grade point average (GPA) and assessment requirements to earn a high school diploma. A student’s graduation requirements are determined by the cohort, which is the year the student first entered ninth grade, and the chosen graduation option.

Students should know their requirements and regularly monitor their progress toward earning a diploma. School counselors are available to assist students with planning for college and career readiness. Students can view an up-to-date report on their progress toward meeting graduation requirements on Virtual Counselor.

Diploma Designations

Beginning in the 2013/14 school year, students can earn two Diploma Designations on their high school diploma, each with its own requirements beyond the standard diploma:

• The Scholar Diploma Designation aligns closely to the State University System’s requirements for admission into a Florida university. The requirements for the Scholar Designation are the same for all students; however, students who entered 9th grade in 2012/13 and prior should know the End-of-Course (EOC) exam score requirements, as these may vary between cohorts.

• The Merit Designation requires students to earn at least one industry certification in addition to their high school diploma.

The following charts and videos outline the specific requirements for students in each graduation option based on the school year students entered the ninth grade.